Book Bragging Rights for Winter Travel

LOS ANGELES (TheStreet) -- A few new hotels and ski resorts dominate the headlines of travel and fashion magazines each year. But by the time they appear in December and January issues, they're long since booked up and making the status updates of bragging friends boasting of their lavish winter vacations.

The time is now to check out what will likely be winter's top hotel and ski destinations.

Attend a winter Olympics: It's probably your last chance to experience an Olympics within North America until at least 2022, as Canada prepares for its torch moment at the 2010 Winter Olympic Games in Vancouver (Feb. 12-28). With Olympic competition venues spread out from downtown Vancouver to Whistler, the ideal Olympic experience would include a sold-out or miracle last-minute booking at the Shangri-La Vancouver followed by tickets to the opening or closing ceremonies now available only through cut-throat scalpers.

For those looking to partake in the men's and women's downhill competition, all is not lost. Potential visitors can still book into one of the numerous last-minute condos and homes available through VRBO.com or other rental agencies that may even get you into the coveted Four Seasons Whistler if you're willing to pay gold-medal prices.

Tahoe makes a comeback: Still a secret to S.F. locals and L.A. skiers who endure five-hour drives or one daily flight to Mammoth Mountain, this upgraded ski resort is California's glitziest. There was once a time when skiing Tahoe meant communal hot-tubbing in rundown casinos or musty wood-paneled condos with foil-covered electric stovetops. But in an attempt to revamp its North Shore, Tahoe is returning to its jet-set roots that once took the world stage by hosting the 1960 Winter Olympic Games.